


Memories in the Dark

by Vibe (lucresence)



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Childhood Trauma, Human Experimentation, Isolation, Madness, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:42:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28658931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucresence/pseuds/Vibe
Summary: What does one have to do to remain alive and sane in an everlasting state of darkness, pain and horror? An experience that will shape Edelgard's personality more than anything, and that will keep on testing her will to remain strong countless times.
Kudos: 8





	Memories in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> This is a rambling of thoughts I try to put into words from time to time about what happened to the Hresvelg children. It's something I just write down from my mind, so please excuse if it's not as well structured as other pieces.

How long had it been?

Days, months, _years..._?

For a while she had been trying to keep track of time by counting seconds, yet her efforts had been in vain with every time they dragged her out of her cell. There also was no pattern, no indicator of a regular schedule within the steps passing by her in the dark hallways of the dungeons. Everything seemed designed to irritate, to confuse and reduce all of her common sense to what was left: _fear_.

That was everything they left. Fear. Horror. Madness. She didn’t even dare look into the corner, where the silhouette of her older brother was shivering from the cold grasp of insanity.

One day they had  grabbed him under his arms, and most likely taken to one of those chambers, one of  _those_ that were filled with all those strange, alien equipment. The memories had burned themselves into her mind, the flames of the horror feeding on everything else she was trying to hold close, everything that was dear to her and kept her safe from that one inch she was away from falling into despair herself. They would choose one of  her siblings, drag them across the floor no matter how hard they were fighting and resisting, until their screams and shouts would be silenced by the heavy metal door being slammed shut behind them. Once her mother had told her about vengeful spirits that roamed beneath the surface to punish those who had committed unforgivable crimes – a horror story for children, of course, and yet she couldn’t ignore the ghostly appearances of the white skin, empty eyes and blood tainted hands reaching out from within robes of black. And for whatever crimes they had committed, those filthy hands were punishing all of the children, filling the darkness with cries of pain and a wish of sweet release.

At first her brother had protected her, shielding her delicate form with his own body, pleading that they release the younger children. He had been a chivalrous, noble young boy, like one of those fairy tales that guided a handsome knight across the land to protect the weak.  And so he was offering himself in her stead again and again and again. With every time he was returned to the cell he lost a little bit of that glimmer of strength and hope within his eyes until they had to throw him back into the cell, his skin being ripped from the cold stone of the dungeons where his body hit the floor. They stole and stole and stole, they took all of his  _life_ until he was an empty shell, arms wrapped around his knees and limp body leaned against the wall.  From time to time he would mumble unintelligible words, sentences that made no sense. And – she hated that the most – sometimes his high cries filled with pure anguish would echo across the small room, cutting through the darkness like a knife and piercing her ears. Sometimes she even feared those sounds more than anything else in these horrible dungeons. They were inhuman, everything left of him was  the empty shell of a creature merely reacting to pain and the images planted inside of his mind.

There was a time she had ten siblings. And, albeit their different mothers, she had been able to form a bond with some of them. However, she could feel those bonds of affection being cut off by those ghastly people. She could feel the hatred burning everything else,  _why me, why did they pick me again and not you?! What did I do to you to deserve this?!_ If only she was deaf to her brother’s words…  _It is your fault! Your fault! Your fault!_

Sometimes she could feel tears running down her cheeks, the salt burning in the scratches that had ripped the skin of her face. It felt like an eternity since she had stopped trying to convince him that she wanted to save him, them, all of them. He didn’t listen, he only continued rambling, raising his voice to drown out her weak attempts, until he was sputtering with rage even. It were those moments that were the only ones he could muster up some strength.

* * *

_ T ap. Tap. Tap. Tap. _

Quiet steps were approaching. During the first times she had heard those steps, she had heard that sound, she had assumed it to be an animal, due to the barely audible sound. Soon she had had to learn that those steps meant approaching danger.

They came to a halt in front of their cell, the cold, dim light of the lantern illuminating the dirty ground of the cell. She could hear what was left of her brother pressing himself closer to the stone wall, his bare feet brushing against the straw on the ground and quiet whimpers escaping through his lips that were pressed together tightly.

“Lovely Edelgard!” Hearing her name being called out by the loathsome voice she was very much familiar with by now, she raised her head from her knees where it had been resting, violet eyes piercing through the darkness. “Come, it is time for your inspection!” After spending so much time in nothing but sheer black, her eyes had become adjusted and were easily able to recognize the shady silhouette behind the steel bars. _Inspection._ Very funny, she knew exactly what he actually meant. The key rattled in the lock, opening the door with a screeching push. Just one more time. She would have to survive just one more time if she wanted to break free from this place without losing herself. Just one more time and Edelgard would be free. She would tell herself that as many times as necessary since that was everything that kept her alive.


End file.
